The television turned on with a low hum as the picture tubes warmed up. Juan looked to his friend with a knowing glance to see if he was ready for the video that had already been placed in his antiquated super VHS player. Michael stood in silence as the look on his face had become one of disinterest. "Let's just get this over with Juan so I can get back to therapy session? I'm beginning to regret mentioning that I had been going..." he said aloud to Juan without really looking at him. Michael had always been a man of little faith and a strong grasp of reality. He never begrudged the church going folk but never placed faith in their 'god' either. He'd frequently scoff at the tabloids latest mock up of a yeti and 'bat-boy' and during the height of the Twilight saga he'd snicker at bad acting. Fun or silly fantasies that people invest too much time in rather than their job or their family.

But as the super VHS player kicked on and the video began to play his look went from impatient disinterest to silent horror. He watched what appeared to be a filming of a mental patient's therapy session. The doctor was asking questions and writing down the patient's reactions but was oblivious to the third person in the room. She appeared almost translucent and moved with almost as if she was being filmed separately in stop motion. However the patient could see her and repeated tried to warn the doctor she was here. The patient became frantic but was unable to release himself from the binds that kept him tied to the bed. With one fluid motion of the woman's hand she slit the doctor's throat open effortlessly with what appeared to be something sharp. Blood sprayed in the room, passing through her form and striking the wall behind her. Michael was disturbed to see this as Juan figured he would be.

"That was 'Ethel' or so I'm told" said Juan once he stopped the tape from playing. "Anyone else who watches this footage would only see the doctor and the patient. The original reports, which you can actually find in public record now, lists this as murder suicide. No mention of the apparition known as Ethel ever." Michael looked to Juan clearly not understanding so Juan continued. "People like you and I, we see things for what they really are now. I don't know how or why... we just do" Juan said to him with a shrug of his own. Michael placed his head in his hands as his reality began to unfold. "You mean when I saw that... that thing it was real??" he said aloud as Michael's body and voice began to tremble. "Yeah man. No idea what you saw but if I had a guess? It was something undead" Juan replied.

Without looking to Juan, Michael began tugging at his own hair struggling to cope "How do I turn it off!?". Juan swallowed hard before he spoke "You don't....".

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We're a long term game that stopped playing for a bit as we caught up with real life. Now that things have settled down we're going to get back to playing and ideally we'd like 1-2, possibly 3 new people to join us for a RP rich environment drawing from many different sources of mythological, theological, and plain ole supernatural trope to form this game. The system we use is the d20 Modern system with a heavy focus on role playing and character development. I've included a FAQ at the bottom of this to help. If you're interested by all means please reply or PM me privately. We're always looking to meet new folks. Note: this is not an online game. PNP won't let me post this up unless it's flagged as an online game for some reason

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What game books does this game use?
This game only uses the main d20 Modern core book for the 3.5 d20 rules. All other supplements, including fan created books, are typically ignored. If there is something specific needed I will let the players know what can be used. Otherwise assume that the only book you need is the core book.
Where can I find a write up on the various powers for the human characters?
As this is not something I want made public knowledge this will never be published online. This may seem like a hinderance but it is one of the major reasons for the game. Unlike Vampire: the Masquerade or most other supernatural/gothic horror games, this one purposely keeps the players guessing. When your character is created.
Is there a listing of the types of supernatural creatures in the game?
Much like the previous question this is also something that will remain a mystery. I am purposely breaking from the typical mold of games where players have almost as much information as the game master. A good rule of thumb for players and their characters is this: If it was in mythology somewhere then it may be in this game or have a counterpart.
I don't recall (insert supernatural creature) being able to do that!!
Just like Twilight and Vampire: the Masquerade (among other movies, novels, and games) changed the way we thought about vampires, so to will this game take different approches to some of the classic creatures of the night and myth. Even some you may have never heard of before.
Why is there such a Judeo-Christian slant to everything in this game?
Much of our western society is influenced by the Christian belief in some form or fashion. This isn't a pro or a con it merely just is. This isn't to say that other faiths (or cultures) aren't represented as they are. In fact some dead cultures and religions have their place in this game as well. If you're offended by movies or novels that use religion as their primary source or focus then this game may not be for you.
Why do we have to randomly roll our character's occupation?
That is a very good question. The reason is simple: This forces the players to play something they may not normally play, such as a customer service representative, garbage man, or even a jewler.
Can I play one of the supernatural types in the game?
Unfortunately no that is not the focus of the game. Perhaps at a later date I may work on making the other various supernatural types in the game available for game play. As of now the focus are the humans who's eyes have been opened to the nightmares of the real world.
What is the setting of this game?
The city in which this game is based in is the fictional city of Arcadia, Illinois. Arcadia is set roughly 100 miles north of Chicago. Arcadia is like a mix between Detroit and the fictional city of Gotham from the Batman books (and if you're familiar with Ghost and X from Dark Horse comics, it's loosely based off of that too). It's a seedy, former industrial city that has fallen on hard times. It also happens to be a hotbed of supernatural activity.
What are the limits in the type of character I can make?
Generally speaking outside of randomly rolling for your occupation and your unique 'gift' (the thing that sets you apart from regular humans) what you make it up to you. However I prefer that the game does not include any children players or characters. It is a mature game for a reason. This will be updated as needed should any other undesirable character types pop up.
Can you recommend any good books/movies/comics that would help me with inspiration?
I've found that the Chicagoland Vampire series, Anita Blake series, This Present Darkness, and the sequel Piercing the Darkness, are all good books that come to mind. TV shows/movies: Fallen (the movie and 2006 miniseries from ABC), Supernatural, the Prophecy movie series (up to part 3 and even then it was losing steam), The Devil's Advocate, The Crow series of movies, Legion, Interview with a Vampire and Queen of the Damned, Dog Soldiers, Skinwalkers, The Underworld movie series, Big Trouble in Little China, End of Days, Witch Hunter Robin anime series, etc. Comics: Penny for your Soul and Ursa Minor both by Big Dog Ink, many of the Wonderland and Grimm's Fairy Tale titles by Zenescope.